Make Snacks Count Healthy & Fun Recipes for All Ages Presented By: good4growth.
Make Snacks Count Toddler
Toddlers Twist and Shout Trail Mix 1/2 to 1 cup Multi-Grain Cheerios 1/2 to 1 Cup mini pretzels (preferable oat bran) 1/2 cup of raisins 1/2 to 1 cup Goldfish crackers 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 1/2 to 1 cup of peanuts Lay out a snack-sized plastic bag for each child. Have each child count out 10 Cheerios and place into a bag Next, have each child count out 9 pretzels and place into the bag Next, have each child count out 8 raisins and place into the bag Next, have each child count out 7 raisins and place into the bag Next, have each child count out 6 chocolate chips and place into their bag Next, have each child count out 5 peanuts and place into their bag Tightly close the plastic bags, and have all children stand up and do the twist. The kids will have fun shaking up the contents of their trail mix. (You might even want to play the song Twist and Shout). 1 serving = 10 Cheerios, 9 mini pretzels, 8 raisins, 7 Goldfish, 6 chocolate chips Per serving: 105 calories, 3 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 4.6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 1 g fiber. (Source: WebMD)
Toddlers Banana Dogs Whole wheat hot dog buns (1 bun for every two children) Peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese Bananas (1 large banana for every 2 children) 1. Spread both sides of the bun with peanut butter or cream cheese. 2. Peel banana and place inside bun like a hot dog. 3. Cut in half and serve.
Toddlers Fruit Wheels Rice cakes Diced fruit 1. Spread cream cheese on rice cake. 2. Top with diced fruit and serve.
Toddlers Apple Cheese Towers 1/2 medium apple 1 ounce low fat cheese (about 8 small cubes) 1. Rinse apple and cut into slices. 2. 3. Cut cheese into cubes. Build towers with apple slices and cheese cubes. See who can build their tower the highest! Please wash hands and handle food properly. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Toddlers Bunny s Favorite Snack 2 cups plain nonfat yogurt 1 envelope (1 oz) dry ranch mix Carrots, celery, or other vegetables (for dipping) 1. Stir yogurt and ranch dressing mix together and chill until cold throughout. 2. Rinse and cut vegetables into small pieces or strips. 3. Dip carrots or other vegetables into the dip and enjoy! Raw vegetables are a choking hazard for children under the age of 4. Cut foods into small pieces and/or cook or steam vegetables until softened. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Toddlers Painted Toast Slices of whole wheat bread Milk Food coloring 1. Mix milk with different food colorings in small bowls. These will be edible paints. 2. Toast bread. 3. Have children use fingers or paintbrushes only used for food to paint colors on the toast. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Toddlers Pumpkin Dip 3 Tbsp canned pumpkin 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate (100% juice) 1 2 tsp of cinnamon (optional) 1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional) Apple slices and graham crackers for dipping 1. Stir pumpkin, yogurt, orange juice, cinnamon and maple syrup all together and chill until cold throughout. 2. Rinse and cut applies into slices. 3. Dip apples and graham crackers into the dip and enjoy! Please wash hands and handle food properly. Recipe from the Dannon Institute.
Toddlers Banana Scream 3 bananas (the riper the banana, the sweeter the shake) 2 Tbsp nonfat milk 1. Peel the bananas. 2. Cut bananas in half width-wise. 3. Wrap banana halves in plastic wrap. 4. Freeze bananas until firm. 5. Puree bananas with milk in blender until creamy. 6. Recipes serves 4. Recipe from Familyfun.go.com
Toddlers Jungle Juice 1/2 cup grape juice 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk 1 banana, sliced 1. Combine milk, juice and banana in a blender until smooth. 2. Consider adding a few drops of purple food coloring for brighter color. 3. Recipe serves 2. Recipe from Familyfun.go.com
Toddlers Shrunken Sandwiches Ham Low-fat cheese Crackers 1. Slice ham and cheese into small squares or rounds to match the size of the crackers. Using a round cookie cutter may be helpful. 2. Place ham on a cracker, and then add the cheese. 3. Cover with another cracker. Please wash hands and handle food properly. Recipe from Familyfun.go.com
Toddlers Strawberry Frozen Yogurt 2 cups frozen strawberries 8 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt 1. Mix frozen strawberries with yogurt in blender or food processor; blend until smooth. 2. Recipe serves 4. Recipe from Familyfun.go.com
Toddlers Edible Faces Plates Low-fat dip or yogurt Cheese cubes Diced fruits and vegetables 1. Rinse and cut fruits and vegetables into small pieces. 2. Provide children with bowls of small foods (diced fruits, vegetables and cheese) and a plate. 3. Have children place food on plate to make a face.
Toddlers Watermelon Pop Stars Watermelon Popsicle sticks Star-shaped cookie cutter 1. Cut watermelon in 1 inch thick slices, if not already done. 2. Use cookie cutter to cut watermelon stars from slices. 3. Insert popsicle stick into stars. 4. Place stars on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. 5. Cover the stars with another sheet of foil. 6. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm. Recipe from Familyfun.go.com
Make Snacks Count Preschooler
Preschooler Apple Raisin Ladybug 1/2 red apple Peanut butter Raisins Grapes 1. Place the apple half on plate with red side is facing up. 2. Have children put spots on the ladybug by dipping raisins in peanut butter and sticking them on the red side of the apple. 3. Use grapes for a head and feet. Raisins and whole grapes are choking hazards for children under the age of 4. Slice grapes in half and avoid raisins for children under 4. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Preschooler Hummus 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas or garbanzo beans 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 teaspoons granulated garlic 1. Combine chickpeas, cumin, lemon juice, garlic and 3 tablespoons of liquid from bean can in blender. 2. Blend until smooth. 3. Refrigerate until ready to eat. 4. Use as a dip for vegetables, whole wheat pita bread or whole wheat crackers. 5. Hummus can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
Preschooler Fruit Smoothies 1 cup low-fat or fat free yogurt Frozen fruit 1. Combine 2 cups yogurt and 2 cups fruit in a blender. 2. Blend until smooth.3. Recipe makes four 1 cup servings.
Preschooler Power Barbells Cheese block or cubes Pretzel sticks 1. Cut cheese into bite sized pieces. 2. Have children connect pieces of cheese on ends of the pretzels making power barbells. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Preschooler Scoopy the Salad Lettuce leaves 1/2 cup of cottage cheese for each child Diced vegetables: Cherry tomatoes Alfalfa sprouts Olives Broccoli Peas Beans Green or red bell pepper slices Place a lettuce leaf on a plate. Scoop cottage cheese on to lettuce. Have children use vegetables to decorate cottage cheese. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator to serve later. Raw vegetables are a choking hazard for children under the age of 4. Cut foods into small pieces and/or cook or steam vegetables until softened.
Preschooler Yogurt Parfaits Low-fat yogurt Whole grain cereal or granola Fresh or frozen fruit (thawed) 1. Add a 1 2 cup yogurt to each bowl. 2. Allow children to top with fruit and cereal.
Preschooler Spiders Round crackers Cheese spread or cream cheese spread Small pretzel sticks Raisins 1. Spread cheese/cream cheese on cracker. 2. Stick pretzels on top of cheese spread sticking out from the cracker to make legs. 3. Put cheese spread on second cracker and place it face down on top of pretzel layer. 4. Dip raisins in cheese spread and stick to cracker for eyes. Raisins are choking hazards for children under the age of 4. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Preschooler Tortilla Roll-Ups Flour tortillas Turkey or ham slices Sliced American cheese 1. Place 1 slice of ham or turkey on tortilla. 2. Place 1 slice of cheese on top of the meat. 3. Demonstrate how to roll up the tortilla tight and allow children to roll their own. Recipe from Cheryl Barber, Mary Longo, Anita Pulay, and Kirk Bloir at the Ohio State University Extension
Preschooler Fruit Spritzer Sparkling water 100% juice 1. Pour 1 2 cup of sparkling water and top with a splash of juice.
Preschooler Waffle Taco Whole grain waffles Peanut butter or strawberry cream cheese Bananas Honey 1. Toast or heat the waffles in microwave. 2. Allow children to spread peanut butter or cream cheese on waffle. 3. Top with banana slices and honey. 4. Fold in half like a taco.
Preschooler Fruit Pizzas Whole wheat English muffins Low-fat cream cheese Sliced fruit: Kiwi, Strawberries, Peaches, Bananas 1. Spread cream cheese on English muffins halves. 2. Have children top with sliced fruit and enjoy!
Preschooler Fruit Pops Watermelon Cantaloupe Honeydew Small cookie cutters Wooden or plastic sticks 1. Slice fruit to 1 inch thick slices. 2. Allow children to choose cookie cutters and cut the fruit into fun shapes. 3. Insert a wooden or plastic stick into the bottom to create a fruit pop. 4. Consider freezing the pops and save them for later.
Make Snacks Count School Aged
School Age Corn and Bean Salsa 1 can corn 1 can black beans 1 can diced tomatoes Baked whole grain corn chips 1. Rinse and drain corn and black beans. 2. Combine ingredients in mixing bowl. 3. Stir and serve with baked whole grain corn chips.
School Age Apple Yogurt Diced Granny Smith apples Fat-free vanilla yogurt Granola Raisins 1. Chop apples into small pieces. 2. Add 1 2 cup of yogurt to bowl. 3. Stir in a 1 2 cup of chopped apples and top with granola and raisins.
School Age Yogurt Parfaits Low-fat yogurt Whole grain cereal or granola Fresh or frozen fruit (thawed) 1. Add a 1 2 cup yogurt to each bowl. 2. Allow children to top with fruit and cereal.
School Age Waffle Taco Whole grain waffles Peanut butter or strawberry cream cheese Bananas Honey 1. Toast or heat the waffles in microwave. 2. Allow children to spread peanut butter or cream cheese on waffle. 3. Top with banana slices and honey. 4. Fold in half like a taco.
School Age Fruit Pizzas Whole wheat English muffins Low-fat cream cheese Sliced fruit: Kiwi, Strawberries, Peaches, Bananas 1. Spread cream cheese on English muffins halves. 2. Have children top with sliced fruit and enjoy!
School Age Veggie Patch Bagel Bites Whole wheat mini bagels Low-fat cream cheese Diced veggies: peppers, carrots, cucumber, etc. 1. Spread cream cheese on bagels. 2. Dice the veggies into small pieces. 3. Top bagels with veggies and enjoy!
School Age Turkey Sushi Rolls Low-fat cream cheese Whole wheat tortillas Fresh spinach Shredded carrots Turkey (1 2-1 oz per a child) 1. Spread cream cheese on tortilla. 2. Place spinach, shredded carrots and turkey down the middle of tortilla. 3. Roll tortilla tight. 4. Slice into 1 rounds; flip on sides to look like sushi.
School Age Trail Mix Dried fruits: raisins, cranberries, etc. Variety of whole grain cereals and granola Nuts and seeds: sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, etc. 1. Give each child a zip lock snack bag. 2. Allow them to add their own mix of ingredients. 3. Enjoy!
School Age Pita Pocket Whole wheat pita pockets Turkey (1 2-1 oz per student) Low fat cheese slices Lettuce Tomato 1. Have children place each ingredient on to a plate. 2. Allow them to assemble their own pocket.
School Age Fruit Smoothie 2 cups low-fat or fat free yogurt 2 cups frozen fruit 1. Combine yogurt and fruit in blender; blend until smooth. 2. Recipe makes 4 servings.
School Age Gourmet Popcorn Reduced-fat air- popped popcorn Dried ranch mix packet Dry cheese sprinkles Cooking spray 1. Pop popcorn and pour into a large sealable bag or container. 2. Spray with cooking spray, shake to mix and repeat 2-3 times or until coated. 3. Sprinkle in about a tablespoon of dry ranch or dry cheese sprinkles. 4. Shake to mix until coated and serve.